I Prevail - Violent Nature (Album Review)

I Prevail - Violent Nature
Released: September 19, 2025

Members:

Eric Vanlerberghe // Vocals
Steve Menoian // Lead Guitar
Dylan Bowman // Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Gabe Helguera // Drums

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When bands lose a key member - whether it be a mutual decision or unfortunate firings - the consensus of a follow up release is often one most fans approach with caution. Some bands have found themselves with a career reigniting spark sending them beyond levels they could comprehend, and others falter like fire in the rain. But the undying spirit to persevere and continue in an industry that can leave you behind faster than you can leave it first is what keeps us coming back for more in the end. 

2025 has delivered shocking departures that many never could have seen coming. The Amity Affliction split from founding member Ahren Stringer and Josh Freese was subsequently fired from the Foo Fighters after taking over from late, long-time drummer Taylor Hawkins. But as we stepped back into Metalcore, fans were saddened to see that Michigan core titans I Prevail had parted ways with clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser, leaving Eric Vanlerberghe on sole lead vocal duties going forward after 12 years together. This quickly turned into the dawning of the bands new era for album 4 Violent Nature, complete with a powerhouse title-track to match. With the band having tore up arena stages alongside Parkway Drive across Australia in 2024, I Prevail find themselves on the verge of taking over some of the world's biggest performances. So where does Violent Nature send the band without one of the scene's most impactful voices?

For yours truly, this will be an interesting listen. I’ve never found myself being an I Prevail fan, but I've set myself the challenge of wanting to approach this with a neutral mind. Could this be the record that changes my mind after all this time?

The theory of performance is that you write for the stages you want to play on. For I Prevail, those stages have already been massive but could always find an extra few hundred people to reach. As the album opens with ‘Synthetic Soul’ you can feel the lights go down and the chorus of screams come from behind you as the building intensity of this track sets the scene of the band kicking off their set. The sparks of intensity culminate in Vanlerberghe establishing his powerhouse clean voice that has been under utilised. “Bring me the rapture. Tear me apart.” hits the breakdown intensity markers nice and early. A strong opening that will be devoured live.

Back to the strengths of heavy hitting, ‘NWO’ gives heavy fans something to lap up with Gabe Helguera double kicking a storm as Steve Menoian shreds as if his life is on the line. It’s a heavy track for sure adding to the band's mosh frenzy tracks, but it also feels as if I've heard this song done many times by many other bands. The same can almost be said for ‘Pray’. I Prevail have always had the ability to deliver incredibly catchy hooks and melodies which are still on display here. Its production is clear without being fake, but it almost feels as if it’s a little safe or a little too influenced by other massive names in the melodic metalcore scene. That’s not to knock the talents of I Prevail but more a cry for bands to take a step in their own direction.

The album's central core holds the singles released that fans have come to know already. ‘Annihilate Me’ possesses the potential to be a big crowd swaying light show and its chorus is infectious and shows the band's songwriting progression over a decade of albums. I just can’t help but feel the same way I have with previous tracks where it feels less like an I Prevail performance and more of a tribute to bands like Bring Me The Horizon or especially Bad Omens. There is so much potential here to be unlocked, but when you’re not taking the risks to find out just how far you can take it, it almost feels as if this is a band finding their feet and not one on the verge of global superstardom. 

“I’m a sick motherfucker with a violent nature” isn’t exactly the strongest showcasing of Vanlerberghe’s lyrical capabilities, but the album's title-track ‘Violent Nature’ finally showcases the boundary pushing neutral fans will have been looking for. ‘Rain’ on the otherhand is described as “the acceptance of things out of your control and finding clarity” and I have to say the thematic side of things are what helps this album's cause showcasing the vulnerability of what each member has gone through. It is definitely one of the stronger tracks across the course of this record with moments that show a key balance of intensity and integrity.

As we circle back to the album's second single 'Into Hell' which gave audiences the opportunity to hear Vanlerberghe's clean vocal talent shine through for the first time, the adjustment listeners will have to missing Burkheiser's may take a little bit longer to get used too, but won’t be be impossible to find admiration for. Where moments on this record may pivot, the decision to contrast Eric's harsh to clean ratio rather than replace a momentous part of their history will only elevate I Prevail's future.

‍Crimson & Clover is a deep cut that will ring home strong to a lot of listeners. The album's key ballad is delivered more acoustically and feels right at home with both a more intimate setting or for 10,000 souls to have a few minutes of soul searching. These are the moments I was looking for with this album and serves as Vanlerberghe’s most inspiring clean vocal performances to this point. ‘God’ provides one final kick in the face on the back end of the record, traversing through tempo changes, guttural vocal intensity, dive bombs, two stepping riffs fused with modern elements that will either getting your blood pumping through its live performance or will have you blowing out your voice trying to keep up with it all. If this is where the album was to end it would have pushed its rating that little bit higher, but ‘Stay Away’ immediately goes right back into the safe haven of trying to write more for the masses and less for themselves. 

Violent Nature had the ability to help I Prevail transcend from just another rock act into more of a household name, but I feel more could have been done to not play it so safe. There are moments of this record that showcase just how much further I Prevail can go in their careers, but it’s overshadowed by more a tribute act performance as opposed to something truly awe-inspiring. I truly tried to get behind this record and I know a lot of people will find something from it that I couldn’t, but outside of just a few notable tracks and key moments, it doesn’t provide a whole lot of replay-ability for this writer.

Rating: 6/10
‍Violent Nature is out September 19th via Fearless Records. Pre-order here
Words by Cody-James Henderson @cody_j_henderson

Codeword for our Violent Nature vinyl comp: 'Into Hell'